 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Word Ball - A Fun Word Game and App
- iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire
- Price: $1.99
- Category: Word Games
Common Sense Media says
Engaging, somewhat frantic game sneaks in spelling practice.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Word Ball - A Fun Word Game and App is a simple but effective word-building game that challenges players to build as many words as they can with colorful balls that have individual letters on them, as they bounce around and disappear. The words need only be three letters long, so even younger kids who have just recently learned to read and spell on their own can enjoy the challenge of this game. Some words earn more points, depending upon length of word and letters used. The game organizes all of the words a player has spelled at the end of each round by alphabetical order. This game is useful in helping kids practice word building while having lots of arcade-style fun.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn spelling by building as many words as they can with colorful bouncing balls, each containing a letter. Letters shrink and then disappear if unused, so kids need to move fast. Words earn points based on the value assigned to each letter; longer words earn more. Kids won't see the point value while playing, so it's not easy to use it to their advantage. They also won't get help with misspellings. Kids can see a list of their words after the round, but no definitions. Word-building skills combine with arcade-style fun; learning value is limited.
Skills
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Creativity
- Emotional Developmenthandling stress
- Health & Fitness
- Responsibility & Ethics
- Self-Direction
- Tech Skills
- Thinking & Reasoningdecision-making, logic, strategy
Is it any good?
WORD BALL may seem a little frantic at first, with all those bouncy balls with letters on them bopping around your device's screen. But there's a method to this madness, and once your kid gets the hang of building words before the balls disappear, they will be sucked into the fun and hardly notice all of the vocabulary, concentration, and spelling practice going on. There's a subtle but challenging feature that make letters shrink if kids don't choose them, which challenges players to think about words (quickly!) containing letters they may not normally think to use (like "x" and "q") before they disappear; then, if used, the letter puffs up again, rewarding them for using it and giving them more chances. The alphabetized list of words that a player has built that can be seen at the end of a round is also a nice learning touch -- it's fun to see how players tend to gravitate to using words that begin with the same letter, for example. Then, next round, they can challenge themselves to not start any word with that letter. The options are endless in this deceptively simple yet very effective word game that many kids will return to time and again.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn spelling by building as many words as they can with colorful bouncing balls, each containing a letter. Letters shrink and then disappear if unused, so kids need to move fast. Words earn points based on the value assigned to each letter; longer words earn more. Kids won't see the point value while playing, so it's not easy to use it to their advantage. They also won't get help with misspellings. Kids can see a list of their words after the round, but no definitions. Word-building skills combine with arcade-style fun; learning value is limited.
Subjects
- Arts:
- Hobbies:
- Language & Reading: spelling, vocabulary
- Math:
- Science:
- Social Studies:
Skills
- Collaboration:
- Communication:
- Creativity:
- Emotional Development: handling stress
- Health & Fitness:
- Responsibility & Ethics:
- Self-Direction:
- Tech Skills:
- Thinking & Reasoning: decision-making, logic, strategy
How kids will learn
The bouncy balls and quick pace add a layer of fun to spelling practice and concentration. It's enjoyable enough that kids may not even notice they're learning a little. Word Ball is different each time -- plus kids can level up and earn achievements -- so they'll come back for more.
How parents can help
- Let your kid read his or her list of words to you and identify any unknown words. Work together to find definitions of the words.
- Challenge your kid to make longer words.
- Use Game Center achievements to set new goals.
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| Category: | Word Games |
| Platforms: | iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire |
| Price: | $1.99 |
| Size: | 13.20 MB |
| Version: | 1.52 |
| Release date: | December 12, 2011 |
| Minimum software requirements: | iOS 3.2.0 |
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